Rules

Gameplay:
Sportspateria is played on a 20’ x 20’ court split into 4 equal squares. One person stands in each square. After the ball is served, it must never land in your square – and it must always travel in an arc. If it lands in your square, or you hit it out of bounds or you spike it, you are given a penalty point – but you also get the next serve. If you get 10 penalty points, you are out of the game and must do the “serve of shame” The game continues until only one player is left.

Start the Game:
The game starts with a rally. After each player hits the ball at least once, the game is on and a penalty point is given when the ball hits the ground.

Serve:
The player that receives the last point serves. To serve, the player stands in the back corner of their square and calls out how many points they have. Each opponent then does the same. The ball can now be served to any opponent.

Ball travel
The ball must always travel in an arc – never straight across or down.

Serve of shame:
If you receive your tenth penalty point you must do the serve of shame. Stand in the back corner of you square, serve the ball to any remaining opponent and walk off the court in shame.

Penalty points
You are given a penalty point if:
• the ball lands in your square or on one of the lines around your square
• you spike the ball (causing it to travel in a straight line horizontally or downwards or directly at a player you intended to hit)
• the ball hits your body
• you hit the ball out of bounds

If the ball lands on a line
• Outside lines are part of your square
• Inside lines are shared. Whoever is sharing the line that the ball lands on will engage in a dispute.

Disputes:
Disputes over points are settled by a vote among all players or a designated referee. If the vote ends in a tie, the two players in dispute stand at the back of their squares. A neutral party will stand between them and toss the ball to either side. The two opponents play until one receives a penalty point – then the game continues.

Rotate:
Each player is allowed one rotation per game. During the game, if a player calls “rotate”, each player must rotate one square in the direction of that players’ choosing.